The Rapture – Indisputable Christian Heresy

In this brief article, Fr. Anthony expresses with clarity the truth of the false teaching known as the “Rapture” and how much it distorts the teachings of the Lord in the Holy Scriptures.

The strange belief in the Rapture teaches that some day (sooner rather than later), without warning, born-again Christians will begin to float up from the freeway, abandoned vehicles careening wildly. There will be airliners in the sky suddenly with no one at the controls! Presumably, God is removing these favored ones from earth to spare them the tribulation of the Anti-Christ which the rest of us will have to endure.

Unfortunately the Rapture has been promoted widely by the Left Behind series of books that have sold over 70 million copies.

The Rapture represents a radical misinterpretation of Scripture. I remember watching “Sixty Minutes”a year ago and was appalled to hear the announcer say that “the Rapture is an unmistakenly Christian doctrine”. It is not!

It is astonishing that a belief so contrary to Scripture and the tradition of the Church could be propagated by so-called “Christians”.

According to the Bible and according to the belief not only of Orthodox Christians but also of the Roman Catholic and most Protestant mainline churches, the true Rapture will not be secret; it will be the great and very visible Second Coming of Jesus at the end of the world. That is the one and only “Rapture”. It will not be a separate, secret event but one that every eye shall see (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

The word rapture is not found in Scripture but hearkens to 1 Thess. 4:17 where St. Paul says that when the Lord comes again

This “being caught up…in the clouds”—arpagisometha in Greek, is translated by some as “raptured”. The word itself is not found in Orthodox theology.

The notion of a rapture in which Christ comes unseen to take believers away secretly, and only later comes back again for everyone else publicly—this whole teaching is quite novel. It was almost unheard of until John Nelson Darby formulated it in the 1800s as part of a new approach to the Bible, sometimes called “dispensationalism”.

The purpose of the “Rapture” is to protect the elect from the tribulations of the end times. Yet Jesus said nothing about sparing anyone from tribulation. In fact, He said,

Nowhere did Jesus ever say that He would return secretly to rapture the elect. Rather, He promised to be with His elect in all tribulations.

Those who espouse the Rapture claim that Matthew 24:40-41 refers clearly to the rapture of the just,

The entire passage, however, refers to Christ’s second coming where He will judge the living and the dead and separate the just from the unjust.

Darby taught as dogma that when the Scriptures reveal that the Lord will reign on earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4), this figure is to be taken literally, rather than as a symbol for eternity as we believe. The Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431 condemned as heresy this teaching which is called chialiasmos (millenianism or 1000 years).

In fact, the Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787 A.D.) in which the essential truths of the Christian faith were defined never mention a rapture. Yet evangelical Christians and Pentecostals keep using obscure passages of the book of Revelation which purport to give a detailed timetable of what will happen at the end of the world, despite the fact that Jesus Himself warned that no man knows either the day or the hour when the Son of Man shall return.

A major problem with the Rapture is that it ends up teaching not two but three comings of Jesus—first His birth in Bethlehem; second, His secret coming to snatch away (rapture) the “born-again”; and third, His coming at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead and to reign in glory. Yet only two not three comings of Christ are mentioned in the Bible. We have the clearest definition of this in the Nicene Creed when we confess that

As already stated, most Christians, Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Protestants do not believe in the Rapture. In fact, one Protestant pastor, John L. Bray, summarized magnificently what we Orthodox and most other Christians believe about the Rapture when he wrote these remarkable words,

Thus the Rapture is foreign to the Bible and to the living tradition of the Church. It is what we call a heresy, a false teaching. False teachings, such as this, happen when people—like John Darby—believe that they have the right to interpret the Scriptures individually apart from the Living Body of Christ—the Church—where the Spirit of Truth abides and leads us to all truth.

I can think of no better words to conclude than those of Jesus when He speaks of the one and only “Rapture”, the Second Coming:

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>> “Did Jesus know who and where the ‘lost sheep’ were at?” <<

Yes, of course he did, all in Judea knew very well where they were.

>> “What about Simon and Andrew??? Were they lost sheep?” <<

Definitely not!

First, they were not of the “House of Israel,” they were of the House of Judah (’Jews’).

Second, they were living in Temple purity, thus not lost.

>> “why did Jesus single them out as the first two apostles?” <<

Not apostles, disciples. They had been raised with the Word of Yehova, their lost cousins had not. Yeshua needed men that were basically believers, and had knowledge of the word. They became Apostles later, after being cleansed of the satanic error of Pharisee-ism, and learning the way of Yeshua.

>> “Was John the Baptist baptizing the lost sheep?” <<

Definitely not. He was Yehova’s annointed High Priest.

He never ‘baptized’ anyone in the sense you mean. He led the believing people of Judea to the Mikvah, as he knew it.

>> “why didn’t Jesus go directly to the lost sheep and appoint apostles from them?” <<

You can’t make “apostles” of men who were unbelievers with no knowledge of the word. They were pagans, living in cities committed to paganism. They were completely gentile in every way.

But they were the ones that were to become again “a people for his name.” They were a part of the divorced bride that Yeshua was to remarry.

This re-marriage was the great mystery that Paul taught. Torah prohibits remarrying a bride that has become married to another, so what Paul preached was deemed impossible to the Jews that had been raised under Torah.

But she can re-marry if her husband dies. Yeshua died for his lost bride.

These are things that are known to those that study the scriptures, but completely unknown to those that read only the Messianic writings (NT).

The lack of this knowledge is what leads to the various forms of replacement theology (immaginary ‘church’ replacing the bride).

Yeshua was not wasting his time. He was fulfilling the first task the Father had given him: destroying the Pharisees Takanot and Ma’assim, the unbearable burden that held the House of Judah in bondage.

This is “the works of the law” spread by the Pharisees that Paul chastised the Galatians for falling victim to.

Each of Yeshua’s miracles was aimed directly at destroying one of those false “works of the law.”
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So you say that Jesus told us in the Scripture to sin. Just another false teaching from the protestors.

No. the CATHOLIC CHURCH is the one saying that Jesus told people to sin. THEY are the ones who are claiming that people have to literally consume the literal flesh and blood of Jesus to receive spiritual life.

The Eucharist - The Real Presence of Christ is HIS BODY AND HIS BLOOD is the essence of the Sacrifice of the Cross.

His blood was poured out and gone, He was crucified on a cross, not killed on an altar, He gave Himself willingly and said, "It is finished".

It is NOT a sacrifice that God gave to us to offer to Himself over and over again.

Jesus died ONCE for our sins and rose again and is seated in heaven at the right hand of God making intercession for the saints (His followers)

He loved us so much that He gave us His life and left Himself for our spiritual nourishment for our salvation.

He gave us the Holy Spirit and His WORD for our spiritual nourishment. Physical eating does not give spiritual life.

Yet you deny Jesus, His words and His Church. And try to act pious in doing so.

I do not deny Jesus and I do not deny His true body of believers.

I do not recognize that that entity which calls itself the one true church, ie the Catholic church, is what it claims to be.

May you understand the real teachings of Jesus and not just your personal opinion.

I believe what is taught in His Word, not man-made doctrines fabricated centuries after the fact.

Your choice to believe the Catholic church is also your opinion, no different than anyone else's. It's just your opinion that they are right. Others have the opinion that they are wrong.

So what's the basis of comparison?

Scripture. If something lines up with Scripture, then it's correct. If it doesn't then it's wrong.

And it's not rocket science to read and see that.

The prohibition against eating blood in Scripture. God could not have possibly made it more clear and yet the Catholic church STILL insists that you have to eat blood. Therefore, the Catholic church is wrong.

Now the church teaches this.

Unbloody sacrifice

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P41.HTM

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner."188

The problem is, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. And if the sacrifice of the mass is an unbloody one, then it's just useless killing.

Also, if it's unbloody, then where does the blood come from that you guys claim you have to eat? And WHY do you guys claim you have to eat it if the mass is an unbloody sacrifice?

Don't eat the blood, the life is in the blood

Genesis 9:4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life , that is, its blood.

Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

Leviticus 7:26-27 Moreover, you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwelling places. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 17:10-14 “If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.

“Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.

Leviticus 19:26 “You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.

Deuteronomy 12:16 Only you shall not eat the blood ; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life , and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.

Deuteronomy 15:23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

Acts 15:12-29 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter:

“The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.For it has seemed good to the Holy Spiritand to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Philippians 3:2-9 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

All that hard work and Paul counts it as rubbish for the excellency of knowing CHRIST.

Religion is worthless in knowing God. All it does it provide an opportunity for the flesh to brag about itself.

Colossians 2:16-23 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Matthew 6:1-8 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ. The purpose of the Law was NEVER to make man righteous by adhering to it. It was put in place to show us God’s requirements and that we could not reach them.

Yes, and to add to that and clarify, the government of Israelites under the Law of Moses was a ministry of eternal condemnation and everlasting death (2 Corinthians 3:6-11).

In sending a human to Hell and unceasing torment, The God is entirely holy and just, for the human has no excuse for committing a sin even once. Total failure of any attempt to earn one's own way to Heaven is a forgone conclusion--it cannot be done.

In hearing the plea of a totally depraved human--as all are--with Jesus the Anointed King as one's Advocate before God as the Judge, The Mighty God is faithful and just to vacate and abandon the indicted charges.

When thus the tainted human depends on the atonement-washing of Jesus' shed blood alone, one's eternal life is assured and secured on the basis of the one-time exculpatory offering of/by Jesus, and on no other plea or excuse whatsoever, because The God will then clear the human's rap sheet and cleanse the record of all unrighteousness through the penalty fully paid by the Substitute.

Further supererogatory works are neither desired, required, or accepted, but rather rejected, and that with terminal prejudice.

All one has to do is to apply for salvation and everlasting life, with no ideas of renegotiating the terms, looking back on past good deeds, or arguing with the Judge.

Be advised. Applications still accepted, but the window is closing.

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